Everest Blizzard Chaos: Hundreds Stranded as Rescuers Battle Deadly Snowstorm

Published: 06 September 2025. The English Chronicle Desk

A sudden and powerful blizzard has left hundreds of trekkers stranded on the eastern slopes of Mount Everest, forcing emergency teams to launch one of the most challenging rescue operations in recent years. The storm, which struck during China’s eight-day Golden Week holiday, took both tourists and seasoned mountaineers by surprise, disrupting what is usually considered one of the safest hiking seasons in the Himalayas.

The snowstorm began on Friday evening and quickly intensified across Karma Valley in Tibet, a popular but lesser-known trail leading to the eastern face of Everest. According to Chinese state media, some 350 hikers have been rescued, while more than 200 remain stranded at various points along the route. Despite the treacherous conditions, authorities confirmed that contact has been made with those still trapped, and local police, fire brigades, villagers, and mountain guides have been mobilized to assist. In an extraordinary move, yaks are being used to carve paths through the heavy snow and to help locate hidden crevasses that could prove deadly for climbers attempting to descend.

For many of the trekkers, the ordeal has been a nightmare. Geshuang Chen, a 29-year-old outdoor enthusiast, described the storm as “extremely difficult,” noting how thunder, strong winds, and relentless snowfall turned their adventure into a fight for survival. “When we woke up the next morning, the snow was already about a metre deep. We had no choice but to turn back. I was so lucky to get out,” she said. Another hiker’s wife recounted her husband’s fear of being buried alive if he allowed himself to sleep in the heavy snow.

Seasoned climbers, too, have admitted the conditions were unlike anything they had faced before. Dong Shuchang, a 27-year-old photographer and frequent visitor to the Himalayas, said his group’s gear was useless against the storm. “Our windbreakers and raincoats were no match for the snow. I’ve come to the Himalayas around 20 times, but I’ve never experienced weather like this,” he said. Dong, who eventually made it to safety, recalled slipping repeatedly on ice as his group descended, while passing rescuers heading up to save others still trapped.

Medical experts are warning that hypothermia poses one of the gravest risks to those caught in the blizzard. Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature falls below 35 degrees Celsius, and can be fatal if untreated. Survivors have already reported exhaustion, uncontrollable shivering, and an inability to rest. One group of 18 hikers told reporters that they hardly slept, fearing their tents would collapse under the constant weight of accumulating snow. “We had to shake off the snow every 10 minutes,” said one member. Several trekkers developed early symptoms of hypothermia despite wearing appropriate clothing.

Adding to the gravity of the crisis, the same weather system has battered Nepal, unleashing floods and landslides that have killed at least 47 people since Friday. Entire villages in the eastern district of Ilam have reportedly been swept away, with roads destroyed and relief efforts hampered by continued heavy rain. Authorities in Nepal have warned that the death toll may rise as dozens of people remain missing. The timing of the disaster was particularly cruel, striking as hundreds of thousands of Nepalese were returning home from celebrating Dashain, the country’s biggest festival.

Rescue teams on the Tibetan side continue to face immense challenges. A woman from Shenzhen described how her husband, who had joined a 12-day trek in Karma Valley, contacted her via satellite phone to say his group was stranded in deep snow at Oga campsite. Despite calling in emergency services, she said the rescuers themselves were slowed by the sheer volume of snow and the dangerous conditions. Her husband’s team, aided by three yak handlers, was eventually forced to retreat to another camp, their progress slowed to a crawl as they carried heavy loads and cleared their own path.

Veteran climbers have emphasized how unusual this weather is for October. Rebecca Stephens, the first British woman to summit Everest, noted that while this is typically a dry and stable period on the Tibetan side of the mountain, climate shifts appear to be making the region increasingly unpredictable. “This unusually heavy snowfall carries avalanche risk, and the combination of cold and wet snow makes hypothermia a real danger,” she said. Meteorologists suggest that remnants of the South Asian monsoon, colliding with low-pressure systems drifting from the Bay of Bengal, may have triggered this unseasonal storm.

Although forecasts now indicate calmer weather in the days ahead, with sunshine expected to return to the Himalayan slopes, the scars of the disaster will remain. For the trekkers who have endured sleepless nights, freezing winds, and the looming threat of avalanches, the ordeal has been a sobering reminder of nature’s unpredictability—even on trails considered relatively safe. For those still waiting to be rescued, the coming hours remain critical as rescuers push through ice, snow, and exhaustion to bring them back alive.